Small traders didn’t appreciate Co-ops selling ‘everything’

Moletune is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as being among the estates of Baron Richard de Vernon of Shipbrook. The village was vested in the Bostock family, from whom it was later transferred to Col C.H. France Hayhurst of Bostock Hall. 

Moulton in 1896

The Salt Union Limited had many salt works in the area, and the company built around 100 houses, mainly in Church Street and Regent Street for their work people.
Until 1894 Martha Lyon, whose married name was Jackson ran a grocers shop and beerhouse on the site of The Lion pub. 

Lion Pub in Moulton, 1896

Being an entrepreneur, Martha and her husband George had the present public house built and named it appropriately ‘The Lion,’ with a subtle play on her maiden name. She remained as landlady until the pub was sold to Ind Coope’s brewery in 1923. 

The other Moulton pub is the Travellers Rest that was opened in 1891 by Eliza Elson, who remained the licensee until 1896. Then there was a break in the records until 1903, when Samuel Whitlow took over. Could it be that the address 1 Whitlow Lane has anything to do with that? There again, in 1968, Alfred Moulton was the tenant; now that will simply be a coincidence!

The Travellers Rest, Moulton

The Co-op in Moulton was opened in 1896 by the Winsford Co-operative Society to serve the needs of this growing community. There are complaints today about out of town supermarkets and the like taking businesses from the high streets. 

But the true villains, in this case, will be the online shops that make life easier for many if at the expense of our local old-fashioned shops. 

I point this out because when the Co-op was set up around the country, the same complaints were made. 

These big sell-everything Co-ops were taking business from the small trader like the grocer, the draper, and the butterman. This revolution in shopping was not appreciated.

Poor small traders in June 1879

A cottage was built at the end of School Lane in 1871 with a clock on the wall to serve villagers who could not afford their own timepiece. Initially, it housed a cobbler/clog maker.

From the village of Moulton, the salt workers would make their way through the tunnel, later the two railway tunnels under the West Coast main railway line, down to Meadow Bank. 

To work at the many salt workings on both sides of the river, the boat building yards supplied the salt flat boats to carry salt from the salt workings and coal for the furnaces. 

The river Weaver was made navigable in 1791 so that small seagoing ships could reach Winsford from Liverpool. 

The church of St Stephen’s was designed by the noted architect John Douglas and consecrated on January 16, 1877; it is a grade II listed building and is still an active Anglican church. It was formed into a parish from the parish of Davenham on December 18, 1877. 

As well as the church, the vicarage in Jack Lane was also built by John Douglas. 
A well-known feature of the village is the Moulton Crow Fair which is held every year in July. Included in the festivities is a dance that is unique to the Moulton event. The festival dates to the depression in the 1920s and 30s; it became a way of raising money for the poor in those heady days before the welfare state. 

The dancers dress head to toe in crow costumes; those taking part are a closely guarded secret. One of the performers is a scarecrow in the form of a farmer with his gun when real birds are released. Onlookers are invited to place charity money in their beaks. All in all, much fun is had by all in what is a fun-filled day with stalls and entertainment. 

What was once the busy route from Winsford to Northwich is now a quiet backwater thanks to the building of the Davenham bypass.

Paul Hurley’s latest book Chester Reflections has just been released, and the co-authored Remembering Steam has this month been released in paperback by the History Press.